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Is serum eosinophil cationic protein in bronchiolitis a predictor of asthma?
1Department of Pediatrics, Rogaland County Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
Insights
Serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and total eosinophil counts measured during bronchiolitis do not predict future asthma development in young children. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in larger pediatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Bronchiolitis is a common respiratory infection in infants and young children.
- Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease that often begins in early childhood.
- Identifying early predictors of asthma development is crucial for timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive value of serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and total eosinophil count for asthma development.
- To assess these markers in children hospitalized for their first episode of bronchiolitis.
Main Methods:
- Serum ECP and total eosinophil counts were measured at admission in 25 children (1-17 months) with first-time bronchiolitis.
- Asthma development was assessed via parental questionnaire after an average 3-year follow-up in 23 patients.
- Asthma diagnosis at follow-up was based on at least three episodes of wheezing.
Main Results:
- Serum ECP levels were similar in children who later developed asthma (median 8.0 microg/l) and those who did not (median 12 microg/l).
- Total eosinophil counts were also comparable between asthmatic (median 0.10 x 10(9)/l) and non-asthmatic groups (median 0.09 x 10(9)/l).
Conclusions:
- Neither serum ECP concentration nor total eosinophil count appears to predict asthma development in children hospitalized for their first bronchiolitis episode.
- Larger studies are warranted to validate these preliminary findings and explore other potential biomarkers.
Abstract:
To examine their possible predictive value for the development of asthma, the serum concentration of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and the total eosinophil count were measured at admission in 25 children aged 1-17 months hospitalized for their first episode of bronchiolitis. After an average of three years the parents of 23 index patients answered a questionnaire to determine development of asthma. Eight children were defined as having asthma at follow-up based on at least three episodes of wheezing. The remaining 15 children had experienced only one or two episodes of wheezing, and all of these children had been wheeze free for the last year. The serum concentrations of ECP were similar in children who subsequently developed asthma (8.0 microg/l; 3.6 to 14.2 (median; quartiles)) and in those who did not (12 microg/l; 4.5 to 16.8). Moreover, the total eosinophil counts were similar in asthmatic (0.10 x 10(9)/l; 0.04 to 0.20) and non-asthmatic patients (0.09 x 10(9)/l; 0.02 to 0.13). In conclusion, our study suggest that neither the serum concentration of ECP nor the total eosinophil count can predict the development of asthma when measured in children admitted for their first episode of bronchiolitis, but larger studies need to be carried out to confirm these results.